@askadvicemama

Dear AdviceMama,
My oldest daughter works and goes to college. My youngest is in high school. She used to have a part-time job, but now she just wants to go school and go out with her boyfriend. She wants us to give her money to buy clot...The best way to help your daughter is to model financial responsibility by living within your means.

Dear AdviceMama,
My daughter is almost 12 years old. She is very good about doing what I ask, but sometimes she responds to me in a disrespectful way, saying something sassy like, "I heard you!" Other times, as I'm leaving the house she'll ma...AdviceMama gives some tips on how to handle a tween with a 'tude.

My 14-year-old son is an intelligent young man who is failing school due to his inability to turn in his homework assignments. We have tried many avenues that have been unsuccessful, should I have him tested for ADD?
Signed,...It's possible that your son has attention and organizational challenges, even if he doesn't qualify for a diagnosis of ADD.

Dear AdviceMama,
My stepdaughter is causing a ruckus in our household. Recently she revealed that she feels like an outcast and wishes that things would return to the way they were before my son and I came along eight years ago. Not only di...As you've obviously figured out, developing relationships with stepchildren is easier said than done.

Dear AdviceMama,
My ex-wife, who has primary custody, has created Facebook pages for our 10 and 12-year-old children. The photos make my son look 13 years old and my daughter 20 years old. When I asked her to remove them (since both sites requir...Your children need and deserve two caring and attentive parents, which requires you to do your utmost to make peace rather than war with their mother, if at all possible.

Dear AdviceMama,
My ADHD son has impulse problems. He is 13 years old and his behavior drives other children away. His teachers are beyond frustrated. Any advice on what to do?
Signed,
Frustrated Mom
Dear Frustrated,
The pre-fron...Given how frequently he frustrates friends and teachers, he's probably highly sensitive to feeling scolded or reined in by those who try to force him to "act his age."

Dear AdviceMama,
I have a very difficult time getting my 5-year-old and 9-year-old to eat healthy snacks. All they want are things like potato chips and sugary cereals, which their former babysitter gave them whenever they asked. Any advice?
Si...When you offer your children good food to snack on, try not to come across as though you care so much about whether they eat it.

Unlikely grouping: Susan Stiffelman with her former husband David, left, and an old boyfriend Peter, right. Courtesy of Susan Stiffelman
I hosted a memorial at my house this weekend for a member of my tribe, a dearly beloved friend who...After a divorce, It's easy to get swept into the storm of emotion and remain stuck there.

Dear AdviceMama,
Help! We need some advice about our daughter's anxiety. She is 6 years old. Whenever she starts something new (pre-school, kindergarten last fall, summer camp) she is anxious in the morning, crying and sometimes throwing up. We tr...If you ask your daughter to tell you why she's anxious, and focus on using logic to convince her that there's nothing to be afraid of, you won't get very far.

Dear AdviceMama,
I was hospitalized for a month after having a new baby girl, and during that time my 11-year-old son, who was looked after by his stepdad (my husband), started getting into trouble at school. Now his grades are also slipping. I'm ...It's easy to see that your son may be struggling to figure out where he fits in to this new family.

Dear AdviceMama,
My 9-year-old son lost his father last March in a motorcycle accident. His paternal grandmother filed for custody of him just hours after they turned off his father's life support. I have kept custody, but my son has...It is clear that what your son needs and deserves is to have the unified support of his loved ones to help him through his grief.

Dear AdviceMama,
What do you do when your child is being bullied by a group of children at school? I went to the vice principal, the counselor and the mediator and got no results, so I moved my daughter to a different school. Was that the right th...As a parent, our instinct is to protect our children. When your daughter was being bullied, you tried to make it stop, and when it didn't, you did what you felt was necessary to keep her safe.

Dear AdviceMama,
I have five children under the age of 9, and on Saturdays, when my husband is working, we are stuck in the house because of weather and finances. I want to do stuff together, but there is only one of me and five of them. I would ...A mother once told me that when her kids complained that they were bored, she would respond by saying, "Do I look like an entertainment center to you?"

Dear AdviceMama,
My daughter has two boys, ages 6 and 4, who are sweet but quarrelsome, especially the 4-year-old. He has a strong personality and throws terrible tantrums in public and at home when he does not get what he wants. His mom seems to ...Parents who tremble at the prospect of their youngster becoming upset end up resorting to reasoning -- or giving in -- to escape the temper tantrum drama.

Here's a New Year's resolution idea: How about you try to get the family together around the table for dinner more often?
Not only is it an opportunity to make sure that your kids aren't subsisting on soda and cheese curls, but it's also an import...Here's a New Year's resolution idea: How about you try to get the family together around the table for dinner more often?